Southern, Middle Belt leaders endorse Obi

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has endorsed and described Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, as the best among others.

The SMBLF gave its approval on Thursday at a meeting in Abuja attended by leaders from the Middle Belt Forum, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan-Niger Delta Forum and a cross-section of dignitaries and opinion leaders from the country.

Attendees included Afenifere leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo; MBF leader, Dr. Pogu Bitrus; a former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwumeka Ezeife; a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Bucknor Akerele; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, among others.

A communiqué read at the end of the meeting by the SMBLF’s coordinator, Chief John Nwodo, said the organization had decided to approve the Obi/Datti ticket and LP as they represent the symbol of the mission to Nigeria to save it from imminent collapse.

According to the SMBLF, Obi embodies the kind of leader Nigeria needed right now, given his track record.

The organization also said that apart from the need to enshrine justice, fairness and equity in Nigeria’s leadership, Obi represented the best leadership qualities among all the frontrunners in the presidential race.

The SMBLF instructed all member group leaders to go back home and mobilize votes for Obi and his party.

Speaking of speculation that some undemocratic elements were conspiring to delay or sink the upcoming presidential election, the SMBLF warned it would not tolerate such moves and would collectively oppose them.

In his presentation, Adebanjo instructed delegates to take the approval seriously as the 2023 election may be the last chance well-meaning Nigerians have to save the country.

The non-year-old said he chose to stay in the fight because of the offspring.

He compared the current struggle to enthrone good leadership with the National Democratic Coalition’s struggle against military rule in the 1990s.

In his view, all hands must be on deck for the Obi project to succeed.

“Don’t be fooled, this isn’t just an election, it’s a war and our opponents aren’t sleeping at all.”